Printing-press.



No. 757,460. PATENTBD APR. 19, '1904.-

Fl Jl PRINTING PRESS.

APPLIQATIOI FILED IAB. 21. 1903.

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PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

P. J. HERDLE. PRINTING PRESS.

APPLIUATION FILED MAB. 21. 1903.

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PATENTED APR.19, 1904. F. J. HBRDLE.

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P. J. HERDLB;

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No. 757,460. PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

, P. J.. HERDLE. PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION' FILED MAE. 21. 1903. .N0 MODEL. 4 l l0 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

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F. J. HERDLE. PRINTING PRESS.

APPLIUATION FILED un. 21. 190s.

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PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

` P. J. HERDLB. PRINTING PRESS. l PPLIUTION PILBB-MR. 21, 1903.

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PATENTED APR. 19, 1904. F. J. HERDLE. PRINTING PRESS. APPLIUATION FILED un. 21. 190s.

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PATBNTED APR. 19, 1904. F. J. HERDL'E. PRINTING PRESS. APPLIOATION FILED HAR. 21. 1903.

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. UNITED STATES Patented April 1e, i904,

PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. HERDLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRINTING-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 757,460, dated April 19, 1904.

Application filed March 21, 1903.

To all whom it may concer-71,:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. HERDLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Presses, of which the following is a specication.

This inventionV relates to printing-presses for printing upon large surfaces-as, for instance, printing large signsand has for one of its objects the production of a press of the class mentioned which is adapted for printing upon any suitable material, such as wood, metal, paper, fabric, and the like.

Another object 'of the invention is the provision of means, comprising in the embodiment herein shown a traveling transfer-roller, for conveying an impression from a stationary form-bed to a stationary printing-bed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a brake mechanism to overcome the momentum acquired by the transfer-roller in its travel longitudinally of the main frame'of the press.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for raising the transfer-roller above the main frame and for rotating said roller when it is desirable to clean its surface.

The invention further relates to means `for automatically raising and lowering the formbed and printing-bed vseparately or both together, so that the transfer-roller shall contact the form and the work only on its forward movement and the inking-rollers contact the form during both the forward and rearward movements of the inking apparatus.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a means for preventing a collision of the inking mechanism and the transferroller carriage.

In the embodiment herein shown of this invention a main frame of considerable length is provided, and upon this main frame are supported a form-bed and a printing-bed, which beds are arranged to be automatically raisedand lowered and also are susceptible of a vertical adjustment. Upon the main frame is mounted an inking apparatus having a traveling movement to and fro over the form-bed.

Serial No. 148,970. (No model.)

A transfer-roller rotatably supported on a suitable carriage is adapted to travel length- Wise of the main frame over both the formbed and the printing-bed, independent means being provided for traveling the inking apparatus and the transfer-roller carriage.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical central section taken through a printing-press embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken on dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one end of this printing-press, taken from the power side thereof. Fig. 3 is a view similar to the last preceding figure, showing the other end yof the press, Figs. 3 and 3 taken together representing substantially all of the machine as seen from the power side thereof. Figs. 4. and 4tataken together represent the side elevation of this printing-press as seen from the feed side thereof. Fig. 4" is a fragmental Adetail view of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4L". Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view of the inker end of the machine. Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section on dotted line 6 6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical section on dotted line 7 7 of Fig. 1. Fig.y 8 is a detail sectional View on dotted line 8 8 of Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is a transverse section through the press, taken on the plane of dotted line 9 9 of Fig. 3, but showing the transfer-roller elevated above the bed of the machine. Fig. 10 is a detail view of a portion of the brake mechanism for checking the advanceof the transfer-roller carriage. Fig. 11 is a detail View showing a portion of the brake mechanism in section on the plane of dotted line 11 11 of Fig. 12. Fig. 12 is a transverse section through the brake-pulley on dotted line 12 12 of Fig. 11. Fig. 18 is a horizontal section on dotted line 13 13 of Fig. 12. Fig., 14 is a side elevation of the band-brake mechanism shown in section in Fig. 12. Figs. 15 and 16 are side elevations of the rack-bars by means of which the form-bed and the printing-bed are automatically lowered at proper intervals. Figs. 17, 18, and 19 are detail views of the mechanism for preventing a collision of the inker-carriage with the transfer-roller carriage. Fig. 2O is a detail view ofthe reversing and stopping mechanism for the inker-carriage. Fig. 21 is a detail view of the automatic starting mechanism for the inker-carriage.

In the construction of this printing-press I provide a main frame 1 and on opposite sides Jthereof form the two guide-rails 2. Between these guide-rails and on each side of the frame are rack-bars 3 and 4 in pairs and between the rack-bars the two tracks 5, which guiderails, rack-bars, and tracks extend throughout the length of the main frame. A driveshaft 6 extends transversely of and is journaled in the main frame 1, said drive-shaft carrying a drive-pulley 7, a loose pulley 8, a worm 9, two pulleys 10 and 11 for traveling the transfer-roller carriage, and two similar pulleys 12 and 13 for traveling the inlrer-earriage, all of said pulleys (except the pulley 8) and the worin 9 being fixed to the drive-shaft 6. Power is communicated to said drive-shaft by means of a belt (not shown) passing over the pulley 7.

A form-bed 14 is supported in the main frame to one side of the longitudinal center thereof and a printing-bed 15 to the other side of the longitudinal center of the frame. In the upper face of the form-bed 14 are formed undercut grooves adapted to receive dovetail strips 14 of wood or metal. When the form is composed of type, metal strips 14 are employed to afford a firm unyielding surface over the whole form-bed. When a wooden form is employed, wooden strips 14 are used, said form being attached to the bed by screws 14, passing through the form into said strips, as shown in Fig, 5,. The construction of this form-bed has been made the subject of a separate application.

Both of the beds 14 and 15 are individually vertically adjustable with reference to the main frame and also are susceptible, both jointly and severally, of automatic raising and lowering movements. The mechanism for vertically adjusting the two beds is in duplicate, and the mechanism for automatically raising and lowering the beds in the operation of the machine is also largely in duplicate.; The vertical adjusting means for the form-bed v and the printing-bed will first be described.

Vertical screw-threaded shafts 16 in longitudinal and also in transverse series are supported in correspondingly screw threaded openings 17 in the main frame 1, and a wormwhcel 18 is fixed upon each of said shafts near its upper end. For each longitudinal series of vertical shafts 16 under the form-bed and the printing-bed is provided a longitudinal shaft 19, bearing several worms 20, each of said worms meshing with one of the worm-wheels 18. The longitudinal shafts 19 under the form-bed 14 also carry worm-wheels 21, and these worm-wheels are in mesh with Worms 22, fixed to a transverse rotatable shaft 23, provided at one of its ends outside of the supporting-frame with a hand-wheel 24, by the rotation of which hand-wheel the form-bed is vertically adjusted. Each of the longitudinal shafts 19 under the printing-bed 15 is provided at one end with a worm-wheel 25, meshing with a worm 26 on a transverse shaft 27, carrying upon one of its ends outside of 'the main frame a hand-wheel 28 for vertically adjusting the printing-bed 15. Themeans for rotatably supporting the shafts 19, 23, and 27 will be described later herein. i

The mechanism for automatically raising the form-bed 14 and the printing-bed 15 or either of said beds separately during the operation of the machine will next be described. The form-bed 14 is supported over a base comprising the transverse bars 29 and the printingbed 15 and over asimilar base having transverse bars 30, said bars resting upon the upper ends of the vertical shafts 16. The ends of the transverse bars 29 and 30 are'slidably supported in guideways 29 and 30, respectively, formed in the main frame. The transverse bars 29 and 30 have bearings 29b and 30, respectively, for supporting the longitudinal shafts 19, and the transverse bar 29 at oneend of the form-bed base and the bar 30 at one end Of the printing-bed base are provided with bearings 29c and 30, respectively, for supporting the shafts 23 and 27. The beds 14 and ingly as the shafts are oscillated in one direction or the other. Aportion of the weight of the beds 14 and 15 is carried by coil com pression-springs 33, the tension of which 1 springs may be adjusted by means of the setscrews 34, extending through suitable screwthreaded openings 35 in the transverse bars 29 and 30. To simultaneously rotate the shafts 32 under either of the beds 29 and 30, each of said shafts is provided with a gearsegment 36, fixed on one of its ends, the gearsegments upon the shafts 32 under the formbed being connected by means of a rack-bar 37, while those under the printing-bed are connected by means of a rack-bar 38. Each of these rack-bars has a rack portion 37 and 38, respectively, pivotally connected with the remainder of its rack-bar, by means of which pivotal connection the vertical adjustment hereinbefore described of the beds is provided for. A shaft 39, having a gear 40, adapted to mesh with the teeth upon the rack portion 37 of the rack-bar 37, is rotatably IOO IOS

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mounted in the 'supporting-frame 1, and this shaft carries a pinion 41 for a purpose to be mentioned later herein. A similar shaft42, carrying a gear 43, adapted to mesh with the rack portion 38a of the rack-bar 38, is also rotatably mounted in the supporting-frame 1 at the opposite end thereof from the shaft 39, and this shaft carries a pinion 44 for ajpurpose which will'appear hereinafter. Y

, As hereinbefore stated, the beds 14 and 15.

are raised and lowered automatically as the v transfer-roller carriage and the inker-carriage are traveled longitudinally upon the main frame 1, and the connection between said carriages and the mechanism just described for raising and lowering the beds will `next be described.

rlwo alined rods 45 and 46 are mounted in suitable bearings 47 at one side of the main frame and are slidable longitudinally in said bearings. The sliding rod 45 lies alongside the printing-bed, while the rod 46 extends adjacent to the form-bed. The rod 45 has near one end a rack 48, formed in its lower face in position to mesh with the teeth of the pinion 41 on the shaft 39, hereinbefore mentioned. Upon the upper face of the rod 45 is a projection 49, and at its inner end said rod has a notch 50, adapted to be engaged by the point of a connecting-lever 51, which lever is pivotally mounted upon a depending portion of the sliding rod 46 at the inner end thereof. The sliding rod 46 has a rack portion 52 formed in its lower faceA near its outer end and in position to mesh with the teeth of the pinion 44 on the shaft 42. The rod 46 is provided upon its upper face with two projections 53 and 54. Secured to the side of the main frame at points adjacent to the projections 49, 53, and 54 are the three cams 55, 56, and 57 for each of the projections, respectively, each of said cams being adjustably secured in position by bolts 58, passing through elongated openings 59 in said cams.

An adjustable releasing-block 60 is secured to the main frame at a point adjacent to the connecting-lever 51. Said block is madeadj ustable in position longitudinally of the frame by reason of the securing-bolts 61 passing through elongated openings 62 in said block. -When the point of the connecting-lever 51 engages the notch 50 of the sliding rod 45, the rods 45 and' 46 are moved together as one;V but when the connecting-lever 51 is brought by this movement into contact with the releasing-block 60 the point of the lever 51 is disengaged from the notch 5() of the rod 45 and the connection between said rods 45 and 46 is broken. (See Fig. 4b.) A plunger 63, slidable vertically within the bearings 64 and held downward by means of the coil-spring 65, is carried by the transfer-roller carriage, the lower end of said plunger occupying a position to engage the projections 49, 53, and 54 of the rods 45 and 46. The plunger carries upon its side near its lower end a stud 66,

vadapted to be engaged by the cams 55, 56,

sliding rod 46 lengthwise in its bearings, and.

also through the connecting-lever 51 sliding the rod 45 longitudinally in its bearings. The endwise movement of the rods 45 and 46 raises both the form-bed 14 and the printing-bed 15. The transfer-roller carriage thus travels over the form-bed, contacting the form, and over the impression-bed, contacting the surface to be printed. The longitudinal movement of the sliding rod 45 brought the connecting-lever 51 into contact with the releasing-block 60, and at the extremity of the movement of said rod 46 the end of the connecting-lever 51 is moved by said releasing-block from the notch 50 in the sliding rod 45. Upon the return movement of the transfer-roller carriage the plunger 63 engages the projection 49 on the rod 45, moving the said rod from right to left, Fig. 4a, and lowering the printing-bed before the transfer-roller passes over it. The form-bed is not lowered by this movement, inasmuch as the connecting-lever 51 is disengaged from the notch 50. When, however, the plunger 63 reaches the projection 53, the continuing movement of the transfer-roller carriage slides the rod 46 lengthwise in its bearings from right to left, Fig. 4, and lowers the form-bed 14. This arrangement of mechanism lowers the printing-bed, so that the transfer-roller contacts the work upon said bed only when the transfer-roller carriage travels in one direction, permits the contact of the inking-rollers with the form during both the forward and the rearward movement of the inker-carriage, as will appear later herein, and lowers said form-bed upon the approach of the transfer-roller. The cams 55, 56, and 57 are adapted to raise the plunger 63 from engagement with the projections 49, 53, and 54, said cams being adjustable in position in order to permit of the proper amount of movement of the sliding rods 42 and 43.

`The ink-applying apparatus is supported upon a carriage 67, which carriage is mounted upon the main frame 1 and is movable longitudinally thereof by means of the Wheels 68, which run upon the tracks 5 of the main frame. A drive-shaft 69 extends through and is journaled in the lower part of the inkercarriage and carries within the frame of said carriageV a sprocket-wheel 70, by means of Which motion is communicated to said shaft,

as will appear hereinafter. Out-side the carriagethe shaft 69 carries a pinion 71 in mesh with a gear-train (not shown) for driving the inking-rollers, and outside the pinion 71 the shaft 69 bears a pinion 72, adapted to mesh IOO IlO

with the rack 4 upon one side of the main frame, the rack 4, with which the pinion 72 meshes, being prolonged for this purpose at the inker end of the press.

vMovably mounted upon the supportingframe is a carriage 123, bearing the transfer-roller 124, said carriage being guided upon the supporting-frame by guide members 125, fitting upon the guide-rails 2 of the main frame. Upon the peripheral surface of the roller is secured a composition or rubber blanket 124g, the ends of said blanket being secured to the roller in anyV suitable manner. To prevent any movement of the blanket from side to side, employ retaining-hooks 124D, lying in recesses 124c in the ends of the transfer-roller, said hooks engaging the margins of. the blanket. The blanket is stretched across the face of the roller by tightening the nuts 1241, threaded upon the outer ends of the hooks.

The transfer-roller 124 is rotatively mounted in bearings 126, resting in recesses 127 in the upper part of the carriage. Trunnions 128,extend ing from opposite ends of the transfer-roller and lying within the bearings 126, provide means for rotatively supporting said roller, a wheel 129, looselymounted upon each of said trunnions, carrying the weight ofthe roller upon the track 5. To each of the trunnions 128 is secured a gear-wheel 130, adapted to mesh with the teeth of the rack 4, and a gear-wheel 131, located beside each of the gear-wheels 130, is adapted to mesh with the teeth of the rack 3. An adjustment between the two gears of each of these pairs is obtained through a set-screw 132, fixed with relation to the gear-wheel 129 and adapted to engage with and relatively move the gear 130, the relative position of the two gears of each pair being maintained by means of locking-bolts 133, extending from the gear wheel 129 through concentric elongated openings 134 in the gear-wheel 130 of each pair. By means of this double-rack and double-gear arrangement lost motion between the gears and the racks is practically eliminated, and the transfer-roller will maintain substantially the same position with reference to the printing-bed 15, so that when making several successive impressions with different colors an exact register between the roller and the printing-bed can be obtained.

The mechanism for traveling the inker-carriage will next be described. A shaft 135 is rotatably mounted in the supporting-frame and extends transversely thereof. Upon this shaft and within the frame are twoianged pulleys 136, around each of which passes a cable 137, and these cables, attached at their opposite ends to the inker carriage, are wrapped once or more around the pulleys 136 and pass intermediately over the sheaves 138. It will thus be seen that a rotation of the shaft i 135 will travel the inker-carriage either backshaft 6. The hubs of the pulleys 139 and 140 l have clutch-faces 143 and 144, respectively, corresponding with the clutch member 145,

movable between said clutch-faces and adapted to engage either one or the other. The clutch member 145 is slidably mounted upon the shaft 135, but has a rotative connection therewith. It is moved lengthwise of the shaft by means of the clutch-arm 146, pivotally supported upon a portion of the main frame.

A shaft 147, extending throughout the length of the machine, is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 148 thereon and carries a worm-wheel 149, adapted to be engaged by the worm 9, fixed to the main shaft 6. The shaft 147 is part of a mechanism provided for driving the inking mechanism to spread ink evenly upon the inking-rollers preparatory to inking the form. This mechanism has been made the subject of another application.

The means for'traveling the transfer-roller carriage will next be described. A shaft 169 extends'transversely of and is rotatably mounted in the supporting-frame near the longitudinal center thereof. This shaft carries the iianged pulleys 170, fixed thereon, which pulleys are adapted to receive the cables 171, wrappedonce or more about said pulleys and attached at their ends to the transfer-roller carriage 123, said cables passing intermediately over the sheaves 172 at opposite ends of the main frame. The sheaves 17 2 at one end of the machine are mounted in spring-supported bearings 173 in order to keep the cables 171 taut. Two pulleys 174 and 175 are loosely mounted upon the shaft 169, the hubs of these pulleys having clutch-faces 176 and 177, respectively, adaptedto be engaged by the clutch member 178, slidably mounted on but rotatably connected with said shaft 169.

The clutch member 178 is moved into and out of clutch connection with the pulleys 174 and 17 5 by means of the clutch-arm 179, pivotally mounted upon a portion of the supportingframe. A crossed belt 180 passes from the pulley 17 4 to the pulley 10 and a straight belt 181 from the pulley 175 to the pulley 13.

To operate the clutches for traveling the inker carriage and the transfer roller carriage, I provide two oscillatory shafts 182 and 183, mounted in suitable bearings at one side of the supporting-frame. (See Figs. 4 and 4a.) The shaft 182 for operating the inkercarriage clutch extends throughout the length of the frame, while the shaft 183 for operatlIO ing the clutch for the transfer-roller carriage extends only about two-thirds of the length of the frame. The shaft 182 has an arm 184 fixed thereto and the shaft 183 a similar arm 185, each of said arms being connected by means of a connecting-rod 186 and 187, respectively, with the clutch-arms 146 and 179. The vconnecting-rod 186 intermediate its ends has a series of rack-teeth 186a for a purpose to be mentioned later herein. For operating the clutches by hand the shaft 182 is provided with several handles 188, located at convenient intervals throughout the length of said shaft, and the shaft 183 is provided with similar handles 189.

For automatically reversing the direction of travel of the transfer-roller carriage I provide the following described mechanism: Arms 190 and 191 are pivotally mounted within the supporting-frame near opposite ends thereof, each of said arms extending upwardly into a position to be engaged by the transferroller carriage when said carriage reaches one of the limits of its movement. A spur-gear 192, having fixed to its side a face-plate 193, provided with a radial slot 193, is rotatably mounted upon the supporting-frame near the middle thereof, the teeth of which gear mesh with those of a rack-bar 194, which rack-bar also has 'a series of teeth meshing with the teeth of a segment 195, fixed on the end of the shaft 183. The arms 190 and 191 are connected by means of rods 196, pivotally mounted within the slot 193*L of the face-plate 193. It will thus be seen that when the transferroller carriage runs into and moves either of thearms 190 and 191 the shaft 183 will be oscillated and the V clutch member 178 moved to reverse the direction of rotation of the shaft 169, and thus travel the carriage in the contrary direction.

The automatic reversing and stopping mechanism for the inker-carriage is somewhat similar to that just described for the impression-roller carriage. Two arms 197 and 1 98, pivotally mounted within the supportingframe at points representing the limits of movement of the inler-carriage, the arm 197 being located near the initial position of the inker-carriage, are connected by means of.-` a rod 199, having in its length a rack-bar 200 adapted to mesh with the teeth of a pinion 201, mounted upon a shaft 202, supported in the main frame and carrying at its opposite end a pinion 203, meshing with the teeth of a vertical raclcbar 204. The lower end of the rack-bar 204 has teeth adapted to mesh with those of a segment 205, fixed to the shaft 182. The arm 197 is so located with reference to the limit of movementof the inker-carriage that the pivotal movement of said arm when contacted by the carriage will be sufcient only to place the clutch member 145 in its intermediate position, thereby stopping the carriage in its initial position. The movement -of the arm 198, however, oscillates the shaft 182 and shifts the clutch member 145 sufficiently to change the direction of rotation of the shaft 135, thus driving the carriage toward its initial position.

To prevent a collision of the inker-carriage with the transfer-roller carriage, I provide the following described mechanism: Near the center of the main frame I pivotally mount at 206 a jointed arm 207, the upper portion 208 lof which is connected with the lower portion 209 by means of a pivot 210, the pivotal'movement of one part with relation tothe other being limited by stop-shoulders 211, formed on the adjacent ends of said arm portions. The upper portion 208 of the arm projects into the path of the transfer-roller carriage 123 and is held in its normal position by meansof a spring 212. The carriage passes over the arm when moving in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 17, merely moving the upper part of the arm upon its pivot 210 and flexing the spring 212. When the carriage moves in the contrary direction, the entire arm is oscillated upon its pivot 206. The lower portion 209 of the arm is connected by means of the rod 213 with a rack-bar 214, meshing with a pinion 215 upon a vertical shaft 216, rotatably mounted in the supporting-frame. A coil-spring 217, extending between a fixed point on the connecting-rod 213 and a fixed portion of the main frame, tends to hold the arm 207 in its normal upright position. The toothed portion 214a of the rackbar 214 is formed separate from but is pivotally connected with the body portion of said rack-bar in order that said toothed portion may be withdrawn from engagement with the teeth of the pinion 215 when the inker-carriage is in its initial position. The toothed portion of the rack-bar 'is held in engagement with the teeth of the pinion 215 by means of the coilspring 218, Fig. 19, and is moved away from engagement with said pinion when the inkercarriage engages a double-crank arm 219, pivotally mounted upon the supporting-frame, the lower arm 219a of said double-crank arm being adapted to contact the pivoted portion 2143 of the rack-bar 214. The lower end of the vertical, shaft 216 carries a pinion 220, the teeth of which mesh with the rack-teeth 186, formed upon the rod 186. The rod 186 is pivotally connected with the arm 184, extending downwardly from the shaft 182, and when the vertical shaft 216 is oscillated the clutch member 145 will be shifted to drive the inker-carriage toward its initial position. If the inkercarriage already lies in its initial position, the toothed portion 214a of the rack-bar 214 is held from engagement with the teeth of the pinion 215 by the double-crank arm 219, and no movement of the vertical shaft 216 occurs. Y f

The inlier-carriage Vshould not begin its IOO IIO

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travel over the form-bed until the transferyroller has passed beyond saidbed. To start `of, the leaf-spring 224. A movement of the arm 221 to induce travel of the inker-carriage is communicated to the shaft 202 of the pinion 201 through a ratchet-wheel 225, mounted on said shaft, and a spring-held pawl 226, mounted on a sliding rod 227, connected with said arm by means of the connecting-rod 228. A coil-spring 229, extending between a fixed point on the connecting-rod 228 and a fixed portion of the supporting-frame, tends to hold the arm 221 in its normal upright position. A movement of the transfer-roller carriage in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 21, does not move the body portion of the arm 221, merely oscillating the jointed upper end 223 of said arm. A movement of the transfer-roller carriage in the opposite direction, however, oscillates the arm 221, moves the shaft 202 through the ratchet-wheel 225 and the pawl 226, and shifts the clutch member to travel the inlzer-carriage over the form-bed.

The transfer-roller carriage is quite heavy, and to prevent strain upon the belts 180 and 181 when the movement of said carriage is reversedI provide a braking mechanism intended to overcome the momentum of the carriage. This braking mechanism comprises two pairs of arms 230 and 231, one pair being located near each end of the machine. These arms extend upwardly above the main frame, being supported upon the shafts 232 in said main frame. Each of the arms 231 extends downwardly from its shaft, and to its lower end is attached one end of a compression bufferspring 233, the other end of said spring being A 240, supported in a bracket 241 upon the main frame. The connecting-rods 236 are attached to said sliding blocks. The inward movement of the blocks is limited by means .0f a `Gentral rib 242; but their outward movement is limT ited only by the buffer-springs 233. There.-

fore it will be seen that when stress is placedl upon either one of the connecting-rods 236 the sliding block 240, to which said connecting-rod is attached, may be drawn away from said rib, tightening the brake-band 238 upon the brake-drum 237, the movement of the sliding block, to which the opposite end of the brake-band is secured, being limited by said central rib.

To raise the transfer-roller so that the teeth of the gear-wheels 130 and 131 clear the teeth of the racks3 and 4, I provide a jack that will now be described. rIwo vertically-movable arms 243 are slidably supported in the main frame, each of said arms being provided with a rack 243". A shaft 244 extends transversely through the supporting-frame and is rotatably mounted therein, said shaft carrying the fixed spur-gears 245, which spur-gears mesh with pinions 246, the teeth of which pinions in turn mesh with those of the racks 243. The outer end of the shaft 244 carries a hand-wheel 247. The upper ends of the two arms 243 are adapted to receive the peripheries of the two supporting-wheels 129 of the transfer-roller carriage. When it is desirable to raise the transfer-roller, it is traveled upon the supporting-frame until it stands over the arms 243. The hand-wheel 247 is then rotated and said arms caused to move upward to raise the transfer-roller a little distance above the supporting-frame. To rotate the transfer-roller when in its elevated position in order to wash the ink from its surface, I loosely mount upon one end of the constantly-rotating shaft 147 a pinion 248, meshing with a similar pinion 249, fixed upon a vertical shaft 250. A clutch 251, adapted to be manually operated, is interposed between the shaft 147 and the pinion 248. Above the pinion 249 the shaft 250 carries a worm 252, slidably mounted upon but rotatably connected with said shaft, which worm is adapted to mesh with the teeth of a wormwheel 253, fixed upon the outer end of a transverse shaft 254, journaled in the arm 243. The transverse shaft 254.also carries a spurgear 255, the teeth of which are adapted to mesh with those of one of the gear-wheels 130 of the transfer-roller carriage. In operation power is communicated to the machine by means of a belt passing over the pulley 7 of the main shaft 6, the inker-carriage and the transfer roller carriage having first been placed in their initial positions. If itis desirable first to spread ink upon the inkingrollers, the clutches 145 and 154 are placedin their intermediate positions and the shiftinglever 164 moved to throw the clutch member 158 into engagement with the clutch-hub 15] of the bevel-gear 150. The longitudinal shaft 147 is thus placed in rotative connection with the sprocket-wheel 96 of the inling-roller gear-train through the sprocket-chain 163. When the ink has been evenly distributed upon the inlging-rollers, the entire machine IOO IIO

may be placed in operation. or metal, a board, or any other material upon which the impression is to be made is placed 145 and 178 are then placed in operative en gagement with the pulleys 139 and 174, respectively, permitting the travel of the inhercarriage and the transfer-roller carriage. The movement of the transfer-roller carriage along the main frame' Erst causes the printing-bed 15 to descend through the engagement of the plunger 63 with the projection 49 upon the sliding rod 45, and when said carriage reaches the longitudinal center of the main frame and the plunger 63 engages the projection 53 upon the sliding rod 46 the form-bed 14 also is caused to descend. Ifwhen the transfer-roller carriage reaches about the middle point of the main frame the inker-carriage is not traveling away from the transfer-roller carriage, the latter strikes the arm 207, moving the clutch member 145 and starting the travel of the inker-carriage toward its initial position. When the inker-carriage approaches its initial position, it contacts with and moves the arm 197, shifting the clutch member 145 to its intermediate position and suspending the travel of the inkercarriage. The transfer-roller carriage proceeds until it strikes against 'the arms 230 and 231, actuating the/braking mechanism. At about the same time said carriage also comes in contact with the arm 191, shifting the clutch member 178 into clutch connection with the pulley 175 and causing a reversal of the direction of travel of said carriage. The transfer-roller carriage now returns upon the supporting-frame, and as the plunger 63 engages the projection 54 of the Asliding rod 46 the form-bed and the printingbed are raised.l The transfer-roller travels over the form-bed, its surface contacting the form and receiving the impression. As the transfer-roller carriage proceeds it passes over the jointed arm 207 without actuating the mechanism connected therewith and strikes the arm 221, starting the inker-carriage in its travel over the form-bed. Continuing in its travel the transfer roller passes over the printing-bed, the surface of the roller coming into conta'ct with the surface of the material to be printed upon and making upon said surface the impression received from the form. The transfer-roller carriage proceeds to the limit of its movement, strikes the upwardlyextending arms of the brake mechanism and actuates said mechanism, contacts the arm 190, moves the clutch member 17 8, and again re- A sheet of paper ously verses its direction of travel. After the roller has passed over the printing-bed, which was automatically lowered as before, the work is removed from the bed and new work secured thereupon. It will be noticed that the transfer-roller contacts the form and the surface to be printed only upon a movement in one direction, the beds being lowered upon the forward mo vement of the transfer-roller carriage.

This is done to secure exactness in registering.

The apparatus herein illustrated and described is susceptible of many modications in the form and arrangement of its parts withoutadeparture from the spirit and scope of my invention, wherefore Ido not limit myself to the particular construction herein set forth.

I claimv as my invention-,-

1. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer -roller adapted to travel over said beds successively; and separate means for simultaneously raising and separately lowering said beds.

2. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to`travel over said beds successively; and separate means actuated by the traveling transfer-roller for simultaneouslyraising and separately lowering said beds.

3. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel over said beds successively; an inking mechanism adapted to travel over the form-bed; and separate means for simullt areously raising and separately lowering said e s. f

4. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel over said beds successively; an inking mechanism adapted to travel over the form-bed; and separate means actuated by the traveling transfer-roller for simultaneraising and separately lowering said beds. i Y

5. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel over said beds successively;

a series of eccentrics for supporting one of said beds; and a sliding rod adapted to be moved by the traveling transfer-roller, for actuating said eccentrics to raise or lower said bed.

6. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed.; a transfer-roller adapted to travel over said beds successively;

two series of eccentrics, one for supporting each of said beds; and a sliding rod for each IOO IIO

porting one of said beds; and a sliding rodi adapted to be moved by the traveling transfer-roller, for actuating said eccentrics toy raise or lower said bed.

8. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel over said beds successively; an inking mechanism adapted to travel over the form-bed; a series of eccentrics for supporting each of said beds; and a sliding rod for each of said series of eccentrics, adapted to be moved by the traveling transfer-roller for actuating said eccentrics to raise or lower said beds.

9. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel over said beds successively; 2O

a series of eccentrics for supporting one of said beds; a sliding rod adapted to be moved by the traveling transfer-roller; and a gear connection between said sliding rod and said series of eccentrics.

10. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller; means for traveling said roller over said beds successively; separate means actuated by the traveling transfer-roller for simultaneously raising and separately lowering said beds; and means actuated by the travel of said transferroller for reversing the direction of its travel.

11. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel over said beds successively; separate means for lowering the printing-bed and the formbed successively during the travel of the transfer-roller in one direction over said beds and for raising said beds simultaneously upon the reverse travel of the transfer-roller.

' 12. In a printing-press, in combination, a form-bed; a printing-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel over said beds successively; separate means for lowering the printingfbed and the form -bed successively during the travel of the transfer-roller in one direction over said beds and for raising said beds simultaneously upon the reverse travel of said transfer-roller; an inking mechanism; and means for traveling said inking mechanism over the form-bed.

13. In a printing-press, in combination, a main frame; a form-bed on said main frame; an inking mechanism adapted to travel forward and backward over said form-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel forward and backward over said main frame independently of the inking mechanism; and means actuated by the travel of said roller for reversing the direction of travel of said inking mechanism.

14:. In a printing-press, in combination, a main frame; a form-bed on said main frame; an inking mechanism adapted to travel forward and backward over said form-bed; av

ward and backward over said form-bed; al

transfer-roller adapted to travel forward and backward over said main frame; means actuated by the travel of said roller for reversing the direction of travel of said inking mechanism; and means actuated by the travel of said inking mechanism for stopping the travel of said inking mechanism.

16. In a printing-press, yin combination, a main frame; a form-bed on said main frame; an inking mechanism adapted to travel forward and backward over said form-bed; a clutch for changing the direction of travel of said inking mechanism; a transfer-roller adapted to travel forward and backward over said main frame; an arm adapted to be actuated by the travel of said impression-roller for operating said clutch to reverse the direction of travel of said inking mechanism; and an arm adapted to be actuated by the travel of said inking mechanism for operating said clutch to stop the travel of said inking mechanism.

17. In a printing-press, in combination, a main frame; a form-bed on said main frame; an inking mechanism adapted to travel forward and backward over said form-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel forward and backward over said main frame independently of the inking mechanism; and means actuated by the travel of said transfer-roller for starting the travel of said inking mechanism.

18. In a printing-press, in combination, a main frame; a form-bed on said main frame; an inking mechanism adapted to travel forward and backward over said form-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel forward and backward over said main frame independently of the inking mechanism; means actuated by thetravel of said inking mechanism for stopping the travel of said inking mechanism; and means actuated by the travel of said transferroller for starting the travel of said inking mechanism.

19. In a printing-press, in combination, a main frame; a form-bed on said main frame; an inking mechanism adapted to travel forward and backward over said form-bed; a transfer-roller adapted to travel forward and backward over said main frame; means actuated by the travel of said transfer-roller for reversing the direction of travel of said inking mechanism; means actuated by the travel IOO IIO

of said inking mechanism for stopping the carriage and adapted to have an operative I0 travel of said inking mechanism; v`andmeans connection With said clutch; and means actuactuated by thetravl.v of said transfer-roller ated by the tavel of said first-mentioned carfor again starting the travel of said inking riage for disconnecting said arm from said mechanism. clutch.

20. In a printing-press, in combination, a Y FREDERICK J. HERDLE. carriage; a clutch for traveling said carriage Witnesses: forward and backward; a second carriage; an i LUTHER L. MILLER, arm adapted to be operated by said second GEORGE L. CHINDAHL. 

